Sample processing apparatuses for processing a clinical sample such as blood or urine are used in medical institutions such as hospitals. Some of such sample processing apparatuses are composed of a plurality of analysis modules and a transport apparatus for transporting a sample to the plurality of analysis modules, so as to improve the sample processing capacity. In addition, some of such sample processing apparatuses are configured such that, when it is determined that the same sample is required to be re-examined as a result of the analysis (first examination) in one analysis module, the re-examination is automatically carried out in another module in the same apparatus (for example, see U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0310999).
In addition, some of this type of sample processing apparatuses has a function of changing a state of the apparatus into an inactive state in order to suppress power consumption (for example, see Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-121449).
In the sample processing apparatus which is configured so as to carry out the re-examination as in the above-mentioned U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0310999, the usage frequency of an analysis module for use in the re-examination is smaller than that of another analysis module for carrying out first examination in many cases. Particularly, in a time period in which the number of samples is small, the time in which the analysis module for use in the re-examination is not used increases. However, even in this situation, the analysis module for use in the re-examination is made active so as to be able to promptly start the re-examination in the conventional sample processing apparatus. Accordingly, a problem occurs in that the power consumption increases.
In Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-121449, it is disclosed a technique for suppressing the power consumption of an entire sample analysis system. However, it is not disclosed suppressing the power consumption of the analysis module for use in the re-examination.